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worthy Productions' latest movie, is triumphant proof that Australians are ready to make a big-budget, super-colossal box office movie, and have the tech- nical know-how, said American tycoon Mr. Oliver A. Unger.

Mr. Unger is executive vice president and a director of A m e r i c a's Commonwealth United Corporation, a con- glomerate that has enormous interests in movies, among other things.

"We participate in the mak- ing and distribution of their movies. Virtually, we provide and guarantee world-wide dis-

tribution."

Golds worthy Productions have, in the past 12 months,

L...

made two films, "It Takes All Kinds," with Robert Lansing, and "Color Me Dead," with Tom Tryon, Rick Jason, and Carolyn Jones.

"We are now planning ahead for 1969, '70, and '71," Mr. Unger said.

"The next thing we will do with Goldsworthy Productions is a big-budget movie with the world's top stars, which we hope to begin late in 1969.

"We want a literary property that will attract a Sean Connery or_ a Rod Taylor, and Mr. Goldsworthy is looking for it

in Australia."

I asked Mr. Unger for a can- did opinion of "Color Me Dead"

and "It Takes All Kinds."

" 'It Takes All Kinds' was our first film and should be released in February. I think we are going to do well with

it in the U.S., England, and the major European theatre circuits.

" 'Color Me Dead' and 'It Takes All Kinds' are what I

would describe as 'good co-

features' on the world market.

"I feel they would have extra interest in Australia."

"Color Me Dead" was made on a limited budget of $500,000.

"It is a very commercial film with sound basic appeal," Mr. Unger said. "When we started with Goldsworthy Productions, we had a big question mark in our minds. What, was the capacity of Australians to make

films?"

"Color Me Dead" and "It Takes All Kinds" have taken the question mark away.

"The climate, the willingness, the desire to really learn and improve is the outstanding characteristic of the film people

here in Australia," Mr. Unger said.

"If they get the chance they

will make fine films.

"There are, of course, big weaknesses. As yet, the develop- ment in writing has not matched the technical development."

I mentioned that Australian writers weren't paid as well as their overseas cbiintéfparts, which didn't help.

"With the technical climate so creative, so good,, the writing climate must improve," Mr. Unger said.

"Like bees to the honey,

writers will come from all over

the world, I hope.

"Writing has to come from inside; no one can put it there. This element in writing is the only problem that big corpora- tions and money can't beat.

" 'Color Me Dead' has a big | advantage. It starts off with a Í very good story, that of an old j film called 'Dead On Arrival,' a cleverly rewritten.

"It is the story of a man who,

having been poisoned, knows he J is living through his last 24 . hours of life. He wants to find f his poisoner and do many other 1 things.

"I have great admiration for I Tom Tryon, who plays the lead- ing role, the man who has been poisoned.

"I am sure that when he

accepted the role he didn't know 1 we would be operating on such

a tight budget. He had always ^ made expensive films before.

"But he was prepared to accept our offer because he

wanted to come to Australia. 'Color Me Dead' is a good story, and his part had a lot of lines.

"Those three things are very important to an actor: Good story, good part, good location."